Survey Lists the Best and Worst Financial Funds When it Comes to Climate Change Risk

Survey Lists the Best and Worst Financial Funds When it Comes to Climate Change Risk

Is your pension fund or insurance company a leader or laggard when it comes to avoiding risky bets on the future impacts of climate change?

A new survey released today finds that many major institutional investors, like retirement funds and insurance companies, are putting their investments (read: your money) at risk by not addressing the negative financial impacts posed by climate change and atmospheric disruption.

The survey, called the Global Climate Investment Risk, is based on data acquired from 460 funds who were invited to provide data, either from members of those funds or using publicly available information. Each fund is rated from AAA to X based on investment mix and recognition of the financial risks that climate change will have now and into the future.

“While we can see some leaders emerging, many haven't acknowledged their dangerous and foolhardy addiction to investments riddled with climate risk, let alone checked themselves into rehab,” says Julian Poulter, Executive Director of AODP. “It's pretty clear through the Index that the big laggard funds continue to be too scared to take on big fossil fuel companies, even though they know there are enormous risks through continuing investing in them.”

“A majority of the world's investment industry are clearly acting contrary to the interests of those whose money they represent - this is an outrageous situation. It must be remembered that much of the money being held by these organizations is the product of workers' lifelong savings,” Sharan Burrow, AODP board member and General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation said.

Here are the 10 best funds that are actively addressing the financial risks of climate change on behalf of their members:

Previous Comments

I've been thinking about this lately. Ever since I saw an Australian product on the shelf in the super market. I was so disgusted with Australia's behavior that I didn't buy it.

But really I want to know what Aussie companies are up to no good and are actively involve with propping up their ignorant anti science agenda. I want to target those companies. If possible I will ban those products from my household.

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.